Denii

Has anyone done the drive from San Ysidro on Rt. 4 - to Los Alamos?
How is the road?
Is there anything to see in Jemez Pueblo? or Jemez Springs.
How long of a route is this?

We are coming in from Albuquerque air port around 10 a.m. and heading to Santa FE and I thought maybe we could do this that day instead of going up to Los Alamos another day and back down the same way. What does anyone think of this idea? Our base is going to be Santa Fe.
Thanks, Denise

DebitNM

Denii --

The trip from ABQ to SF via San Ysidro/Jemenz/Los Alamos will take about 2 hours...twice as long as going any other way.

Not sure why you are thinking of going this route. Not much to see going thru San Ysidro and Jemenz.

I would go to Los Alamos {Bradbury Museum] and Bandalier from Santa Fe...much closer and less travel time. IF you want a non-interstate route, go on RT 14 also known as Turquoise Trail. It is more direct to SF and you can stop in Madrid which was an old mining town/ghost town that is now a fun stop.
http://www.turquoisetrail.org/

Do a search using the space at the top of the page...type in Turquoise trail and see what comes up. Also, lots has been posted on similar topics, so try typing in other things [Santa Fe, Los Alamos etc].
Hope this helps...
Debi

Denii

Thanks Debi,
I will try the info you gave me. I am new to this board(forgot how to use it from a few years ago) and I am not to sure how to use the features yet.
I was thinking of doing that route because that way I will not be back tracking as much. We were going another day to Taos and will be heading that same direction. thats why I wrote in to see if it was worth it or not?

ElendilPickle

You won't be heading toward Jemez Springs or Los Alamos if you're going to Taos. The highway from Santa Fe does take you past the Los Alamos exit, but Los Alamos is another 30 minutes or so up the hill. Your "backtracking" part of the highway will only be 15-20 minutes.

Rt. 4 is supposed to be a pretty drive (the part I've done, up past Jemez Springs a little ways, is very nice), but it will add quite a bit of time to your trip.

Lee Ann

daveabq

Here are some photos of the Jemez drive ... http://www.opposable-thumbs.com/jeme...otoindex.shtml. I do not know the person that took the pictures, but they will show you portions of the drive. You can judge for yourself. The ruins pictured are at Bandelier National Monument (which is a marked turn off from NM 4). The Jemez drive is a 100% paved, primarily 2 lane, all weather drive. A fair portion of the drive is in mountainous terrain.